Roses Are RedThey Say I Love You
by Ed Westwicker
Summary: Alice Longbottom and Remus Lupin are just friends right? What happens when he gives her a red rose? R&R. Written for the "Flowers" challenge.


**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Harry Potter, I only own my ideas...Awboo to me!**

**XoXo**

Seventeen-year-old Alice Longbottom shrugged her oversized sweatshirt on and looked in the mirror. It wasn't her greatest look, but at least she looked somewhat normal. Her brown hair was covered with random stripes of bright colors and her brown eyes were lined smudged with last nights eyeliner. She rolled her eyes and turned to Lily Evans in all her red-haired glory. She frowned and sat down on her bed heavily.

"What's wrong?" Lily asked, sitting next to her friend and smiling. "You look down. Didn't you have fun last night?"

"All I can remember is this rose. I mean, what the heck am I supposed to do with this?" Alice asked angrily, picking the rose up and pricking her finger on one of the thorns. "Ow! Bloody hell! I can't even pick the rose up right!"

"Calm down, Alice. Don't get your knickers in a twist," Lily laughed, pulling Alice off the bed and swirling her around in a sort of a jig. "Come on. We're gonna be late to breakfast."

"I'm not in the mood," Alice said moodily, pulling away from her friend. "All I want to do is walk around the grounds and try to find out who gave me the rose!"

"Then . . . let's do it!" Lily exclaimed, pulling Alice down the stairs and into the common room. "That's what we're going to do today! We're going to go on a mission to see who gave you that flower!" Alice hung back, obviously not sure what to do. "Come on. It'll be fun."

"Hey, Lil'. What are you and Alice up to this fine Saturday morning?" James Potter asked, loping over to Lily and wrapping her in his arms. She giggled and mock-pushed him away. "I'm hurt! My own girlfriend doesn't want to be with me? Alice! This is your fault!"

"I swear it wasn't me," Alice said half-heartedly, not wanting to be play the game.

"What's wrong?" Remus Lupin asked, walking over to Alice with his hands shoved deep in his pockets. "You're not acting like yourself."

"It's nothing. I just want to find out who gave this to me." She held out the rose, looking at it angrily. Remus took it calmly, stroking his long fingers over the soft red petals. "Do you know Remus? You look like you do."

"I might. But then again. It couldn't be," Remus said calmly, his eyebrows furrowed over his prematurely worried face. "We should definitely find out who it was."

"Yeah. You know what guys?" Sirius said brightly from the couch he was lounging on. "Let's split u[p and look for this secret rose giver!" Lily laughed but everyone else agreed. "Yeah, yeah. Me and Peter will go around near the kitchen, Lily and James will go somewhere else if they can keep their eyes on the prize and Remus and Alice can go around wherever they want to go."

Remus and Alice nodded, walking out of the common room briskly and out onto the grounds. They were silent, but it wasn't a forced silence. The two were comfortable by each others sides. "Remus?" Alice asked timidly, turning her big brown eyes to him. He turned to face her and the corners of his mouth turned up into a smile. "Why are we out here? It's completely empty."

"So I can give you this." Remus held out a rose that identical to the one that Alice had in her hand. "You seemed lonely last night so I gave you that one."

"Is that really why you gave it to me?" she asked quietly, glancing up at him from beneath her eyelashes. "I mean, that seems like a lame excuse."

"Yes. That's why I gave it to you," Remus said harshly, turning away and stalking back to the castle.

Alice shrugged, her heart falling into her chest and her hands falling to her sides. She pulled the rose up and buried her nose in it, drawing in the sweet scent. It was funny. Remus, one of her best friends would give her a rose. But it was also very fitting. It _was_ her favorite flower anyway. Although, in the language of flowers, a single, full red rose meant I love you. And how was she supposed to take that? Questions better left for another day.


End file.
